Episode 604
604. Side story 1st floor Taeyeon Lee (6)
“What? This.”
The store owner couldn’t help but be embarrassed.
He looked at the floor with an expression of incomprehension and turned his gaze to Taeyeon Lee.
“you. How on earth is this…”
“At least not in the way you would like.”
Calm words.
Those words made the store owner realize something.
“…I guess they used an expedient method.”
The fountain of life is the safety zone. Monsters cannot enter.
And the fountain is infinite. Just one sip will restore all your stamina and body.
In other words, monsters could be caught by going in and out of the Fountain of Life. In the end, if you repeat try and error, you will get used to Big Rat’s movements.
It was a kind of safety device that existed on the first floor of the labyrinth. It was a shortcut prepared for those who did not properly understand the labyrinth’s system and entered the labyrinth without knowing the subject.
Almost all adventurers who visit the labyrinth use the expedient method of using the Fountain of Life.
If it was natural, it was natural. There was no reliable means of recovery here. Moreover, Big Rat is very strong. The normal play was to catch one, stop by the Fountain of Life, and when two or more appeared, run away and recover.
‘But…’
The store owner looked at the leather.
Even if I just counted, it was over ten. This means that Taeyeon Lee caught more than ten big rats in this short period of time.
Taeyeon Lee’s current speed was one of the fastest among those who found the labyrinth. The Lee Taeyeon he saw was a coward and a weak person. It was absolutely impossible.
‘Do you have talent?’
The store owner tilted his head.
I couldn’t understand. A day will come when those with talent will realize their talent. And the countless looks of envy and jealousy you receive. You gain confidence in yourself and have faith in yourself.
That’s why you can’t be such a coward. That was the store owner’s decision.
However, Taeyeon Lee is actually a coward and has caught more than ten Big Rats.
‘That’s strange.’
The store owner could not understand the existence of Taeyeon Lee.
‘but.’
Even if she has talent, Taeyeon Lee is ultimately a coward.
If so, you cannot clear the labyrinth. That was an unavoidable limitation since this was a labyrinth.
In the end, it’s not enough to pay attention to yourself. The store owner looked at the leathers again with a sad expression.
“There is a lot of quantity… but the quality is not very good. “I’ll give you about 400 gold for just the leather.”
“400 gold.”
Taeyeon Lee couldn’t decide if it was a lot or a little.
“Are you going to sell meat too?”
“no. “For now, I will only sell leather.”
Taeyeon Lee’s eyes lit up.
“Anyway… Is it possible now?”
Taeyeon Lee caught Big Rat.
The store owner let out a laugh.
“okay. I hate to admit it, but you pass my standards. “I’ll let you use my store.”
Taeyeon Lee clenched her fists.
“So what do you need?”
“Why don’t you show me?”
“Why do I have to show my children to people like you? Just tell me what you need. “I’ll show you just that.”
“…yes.”
You’re so picky. Taeyeon Lee grumbled inwardly. I didn’t say it out loud. It was because the store owner was scary.
After organizing her thoughts, Taeyeon Lee opened her mouth.
“First of all… fire to grill meat? Should I call it a match? do you have?”
“There is enough.”
“Then that and the potion. “Please show me the potion.”
The labyrinth system is like a game.
And the thing most needed in a game like this was a potion. The store owner stretched out his hand in the air. The space split apart and potions began to appear one by one.
[Health recovery potion]
[Recovers 50% of health.]
[200G]
The most important thing is the health recovery potion. 200 gold for 50% recovery. Taeyeon Lee checked how much gold she had.
‘1012 gold.’
Taeyeon Lee couldn’t decide if it was a little or a lot. First of all, I was able to buy five recovery potions.
In addition, there were potions that increased attack power, speed, and seemed useful.
But not now.
“shield. “Please show me your shield.”
“What shield?”
“Everything you can buy within 1,000 gold.”
“hmm.”
After thinking for a moment, the store owner opened the space.
[Heavy Tower Shield]
[Attack + 1]
[Defense + 5]
[It’s quite sturdy, so it seems to be able to block many attacks.]
[500G]
[Wooden Shield]
[Defense + 3]
[It’s not big. It can block most attacks, but it will break if it is too strong.]
[500G]
[Stone Shield]
[Defense + 5]
[It is not big. Can block most attacks. It seems like it will break if an attack is too strong. And it is quite heavy, so you cannot handle it properly unless you have a certain strength stat.]
[500G]
[Iron round shield]
[Defense + 7]
[It is not big. It can block many attacks. It may be crushed by too strong an attack.]
[1000G]
Lee Taeyeon’s eyes lit up as she read the shields.
“If I block with a shield, I won’t take damage?”
“That’s true for all shields except the tower shield.”
“yes? Why is the tower shield…”
“Because it has attack power. That thing is close to an offensive weapon called a shield. “You can block it, but you will take damage if the opponent has a certain level of strength.”
The store owner continued his explanation. Regardless of whether it was expedient or not, Taeyeon Lee cleared the conditions. Then it was time to do his job.
“The remaining shields do not take damage, assuming they completely block enemy attacks.”
“Then isn’t that a good thing?”
“But durability exists.”
The store owner raised his finger and pointed to the sword Taeyeon Lee was holding.
“The equipment in the labyrinth has durability, but it is virtually meaningless. I have never heard of any equipment being destroyed. “But shields are an exception.”
Among the labyrinth’s equipment, the only exception was the shield, which had limited durability.
“Instead of being able to block all attacks, the durability of the equipment continues to decrease each time an attack is blocked. And ultimately it is destroyed.”
“Is that so…”
“It can take damage and be destroyed by attacks that the shield cannot handle. “There are many shortcomings for various reasons.”
The shield was intended for beginner adventurers who had just entered the labyrinth. It was almost useless beyond the 20th floor.
But Taeyeon Lee didn’t worry.
“An iron round shield. “I will live.”
“what. “I guess so.”
The store owner also gave me a shield as if he had expected it. Taeyeon Lee raised her shield. She smiled in satisfaction at the sense of stability the shield gave her.
“Then let’s go.”
Taeyeon Lee arrived at the fountain of life again.
All monsters on the first floor were captured. All that remains is what appears to be the boss room.
But I didn’t want to go. Instinct warned her.
For now, I was thinking of resting here a little longer.
Taeyeon Lee turned on the community. She released all the information she had obtained while conquering the first floor of Alone Mode. I believed that people would come down hard because of that.
But she encountered unexpected opposition.
[Lee Taeyeon [Alone]: Everyone. All I have to do is somehow get to the Fountain of Life?]
[Na Jae-yeon [Alone]: So how do I get there? Now, all the people who listened to Taeyeon Lee and entered are not responding!]
[Taeyeon Lee [Alone]: No. therefore. Big Rat blocks, but if you dodge it somehow…]
[Isang [Alone]: I don’t think that dodging will work. In fact, no one has succeeded other than Taeyeon Lee.]
[Taeyeon Lee [Alone]: No. It’s not that difficult…]
The difficulty of the alone mode is very high. No matter how much Lee Taeyeon taught the strategy, it was only successful because she was Taeyeon Lee; other players couldn’t do it.
In fact, those who listened to Lee Taeyeon’s words and tried to avoid Big Rat and reach the Fountain of Life all died.
In such a situation, people could not trust Lee Taeyeon’s words.
But Lee Taeyeon was frustrated with Lee Taeyeon.
“I can do it. “Even though it’s difficult, it’s not that difficult.”
Taeyeon Lee did not realize her talent.
In the first place, her talent could only be realized when she was thrown into a life-threatening struggle. However, there was no need to feel the threat of death in a peaceful modern society. She lived a very peaceful and ordinary life.
Moreover, because she hated using her body, she had never learned to exercise separately. To that extent, there was a sense of gap in perception from other people.
“I don’t know.”
In the end, she looked around the community with a sigh.
People with different difficulty levels were full of enthusiasm.
They were going down the labyrinth together with other people. Easy mode had already conquered the floor.
“I’m jealous…”
She also wanted to go down the labyrinth with other people. As such, I wasn’t really interested in the alone mode.
I felt so lonely and lonely.
“Ugh.”
As time goes by, everyone will come down. And you will have the same experience as yourself.
If you do that, the day will come when you will meet them again.
Under that hope, Taeyeon Lee moved.
Time passes.
Taeyeon Lee realized that although it took some time, Big Rats would regenerate.
And that was enough time for her to wait.
Catch the Big Rat and wait for Regen again. And he catches Big Rat again.
In the process, we learn more about the labyrinth’s system.
The attack power of each equipment is only applied when attacking with that equipment.
The Fountain of Life does not restore you from mental fatigue, but leveling up even restores your spirit.
Big Rat’s meat is very, very tasteless.
After realizing many things,
she becomes stronger.
* * *
Thump. Step by step.
Taeyeon Lee stands in front of the store. Her equipment was very different.
The sword had turned into a spear, and the iron shield had scratches made by claws.
Wrist guards and ankle guards. And lots of rings and earrings. Even the belt.
He was wearing a lot of equipment.
“Status window.”
[Taeyeon Lee]
[Level: 5]
[Stamina: 185/185]
[Mana: 14/14]
[Strength: 11]
[Intelligence: 13]
[Agility: 17] [
Attack + 4]
[Defense + 18]
[Target is It is in excellent condition.]
Very high stamina and defense.
Taeyeon Lee enters the store with a satisfied smile.
“hello?”
“…It’s you again.”
The store owner looked bored.
“Aren’t you going down?”
“no, I do not want.”
“You damn bastard.”
Taeyeon Lee didn’t care what the store owner said.
“equipment. Show me. “With earrings this time.”
“Are you on the defense side again this time?”
“of course?”
The store owner clicked his tongue and showed me the equipment. Taeyeon Lee looked at each item one by one and soon chose one piece of equipment.
[Guardian Earrings]
[Defense + 1]
[Earrings made by a talented child with crude hands. It’s clumsy, but it contains a child’s talent.]
[500G]
“Boring guy.”
The store owner muttered.
Taeyeon Lee had not left the first floor.
“Now Big Rat won’t even be able to do any damage to you.”
“The damage is fixed? Although it is 1.”
“Either that or that.”
The store owner frowned.
“Are you still thinking about going down to the second floor?”
“hmm.”
Taeyeon Lee gently presses her lips.
Taeyeon Lee herself knew it.
I couldn’t stay on the first floor forever.
Of course it would be possible. The fountain of life is infinite.
However, the Fountain of Life does not restore sanity.
Long years will slowly wear away your mind. Only leveling up completely restored my spirit.
However, Big Rat no longer gives experience points.
The only thing to get here was gold.
‘More than anything, as you get older, your stats may decline.’
The moment she entered the labyrinth, her lifespan became free, but she did not realize it. I had to get down before I got older and weaker.
I had to go down eventually. She knew better than anyone else that it was the right answer.
‘but.’
A red door that hasn’t been checked yet.
Beyond that is the boss’s room, and there will be stairs leading down to the second floor.
So how strong is the boss?
Taeyeon Lee thought she had become strong enough. But considering the difficulty level of this place, I still wasn’t sure.
“one thing.”
Taeyeon Lee asked the store owner.
“I want to ask you something. “If I go into the boss room, I can’t come out?”
The store owner didn’t answer.
That alone was sufficient answer.
“I guess that’s true too.”
This place is cruel and merciless.
But at the same time, it’s strangely merciful.
“I guess I should go and see it soon.”
“oh. then.”
“Of course not now.”
Taeyeon Lee stood up with a grin.
“See you later.”
“Ugh.”
The store owner sighed. I’ve never seen an adventurer other than Taeyeon Lee who adjusted all parts of her equipment while waiting for regeneration.
It was a very inefficient method to begin with. Everyone who visited this place was proud of their own strength. He tried to go down without stopping unless he was blocked by his talent. Either that or it breaks and collapses in the first place.
Taeyeon Lee was neither one nor the other.
‘It’s foreign… but not weak.’
The store owner narrowed his eyes.
Taeyeon Lee is a coward.
But he wasn’t without talent. There was enough to overflow.
To adapt to this degree in such a short period of time was impossible even for a person with considerable talent.
‘I could go down to the 30th floor.’
Considering that many adventurers die before even reaching the 10th floor, this was a very undeserved assessment.
‘But clearing it is impossible.’
The store owner was sure.
There is one condition for acquiring Labyrinth skills.
Take actions commensurate with the effect of the skill.
In other words, it is impossible to acquire powerful skills unless you risk your life in battle and take risks.
Considering the position of skills in the labyrinth, it is impossible to have the power to clear the labyrinth using Taeyeon Lee’s method.
‘And in the end, he is the one who clears it through expedient means.’
The store owner turned off his attention to Taeyeon Lee.
And again, some time passes.
I’m sorry.
Opened the red door.
The basic appearance was similar to Big Rat. Black, sharp hairs. Ugly protruding teeth.
A rodent about the same size as a person was in the room. Its red eyes were focused on her.
“…eww.”
Taeyeon Lee strengthened the hand holding the shield.
“Kkiiiiik!”
[The giant rat appeared.]
